Boxing News Boxing News
Australian middleweight star Sam ‘The King’ Soliman issues an open challenge to the biggest names in the middleweight division.
Bernard Hopkins: A true champion who will be long remembered for his hold over the middleweight division. We have called you out on numerous occasions over the past eighteen months, begging to be considered as a non-mandatory defense of your IBF Title. We’ve eventually worked our way into the number one spot in the vain hope that we can get you into the ring before you retire. We have offered to not price ourselves out of it and have offered to donate half of Sam’s purse back to a children’s charity of your choice. We will take a fight with Bernard Hopkins on two weeks notice, so if whoever your next opponent is happens to injure himself, just give Dan Goossen a call and I’ll be there in a flash. We don’t want the fight as a quick pay day, as is evidence in our wanting to give you fifty percent back for a charity of your choice. We simply want the opportunity to test Sam’s skills against the undisputed champ.
Felix Trinidad: Welcome back Tito! You’re an absolute legend straight back into the thick of it mixing it up with a dangerous opponent like Mayorga, and coming out of it a winner. You are a class act and we believe every bit as dangerous as ‘The Executioner.’ We would willingly travel to your backyard, use your officials and put our IBF number one rating on the line. We’ve heard whispers of you facing the winner of ‘Winky’ Wright and Mosley? Leave them alone mate, Jermain is looking after the 154 Lb fighters. Hey were only a small Pacific Island Nation down here in Australia, but we’ll rustle up half a million US dollars cash and pay you to come down here and fight us for our rating. All neutral officials guaranteeing a fair decision, you tell us what date you want and we’ll work around you. Failing this, give Dan Goossen a call and we’ll come to fight you anywhere any time.
Jermaine Taylor: Who do we have to beg at HBO to make this happen? Our message to Jermain is loud and clear. It’s only a matter of time now before you’re exposed. They are calling you the heir apparent to the 160 pound division and the man to beat Hopkins! In your dreams Jermain, why don’t you grow a set of balls and fight me? We offered to fight you for the number one spot and wound up fighting Joval (you were our first preference).You knocked back Howard Eastman to become the mandatory to Bernard via the WBC and you won’t fight me to become the mandatory to Hopkins via the IBF? You’re a big strong middleweight who from what I hear struggles making the 160 pound limit, more a super middle than middle in physique, yet you continue to take on much smaller opponents. Jermain, you would be a dream run into my world title attempt. Beating you and getting the opportunity to do it on a HBO show would be like an early Christmas present.
Fernando Vargas: Great opportunity for Fernando to make his impression at 160 pounds, if he’s serious about it. Another true champion of the sport, we would welcome the opportunity to fight you anytime anywhere. Just get Dan on the phone and we’ll fight you in a heart beat.
We understand the complexities involved in getting some fights to happen, with Bernard its all about money (for him & we respect this), and what the broadcaster wants to give to the public. Soliman has fought all over the world, however only twice in the USA and is relatively unknown over there. We also understand that he has multiple mandatories to honour also making it difficult for non-mandatory defenses with any one belt. We figure if there is to be any chance whatsoever of getting Hopkins into the ring we either have to beat a marquee name boxer such as Trinidad or Vargas or someone like Taylor who many are touting as one of the best in the division. Howard Eastman, Maselino Masoe, Felix Sturm and Bert Schenk are all awaiting shots, however again if the opportunity presented itself we would take a fight with any of them, again anywhere anytime. Tito is the one we want as a win over him would surely then present the opportunity to get it on with Hopkins.
We know what we want and are prepared to take on anyone that will get us the recognition necessary to make a Hopkins-Soliman fight happen. We are not opportunists who are looking for a quick pay day as if evidence in our wanting to prove our worth first and not price ourselves out of it.
